: Iowa & Illinois Young Birder Weekend Recap ( 2435 )

On June 14th and 15th, Carl Bendorf of Iowa Young Birders, Josh Engel, and I hosted the Iowa & Illinois Young Birder Weekend along our common border, the Mississippi River. While there were challenges to the weekend including strong winds and gnat swarms, through early post-event survey results, we are pleased to announce that the event was an overwhelming success in the eyes of our young birders and families.

Many months of careful planning went into this event. Here are just a few highlights from the weekend:

Attendance by 24 young birders and their families from three states including Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin

More than 100 species of birds observed

Guided field trips in Iowa to Green Island Wildlife Management Area and Illinois to Mississippi Palisades State Park and the Lost Mound Unit of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge